Drying apparatus



T. IZUMI.

DRYING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1920 Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

roxusanuno rzumr, or TOKYO, Jenn,

nnxrno Arrm'rus.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 22, 192i.

Application filed June 10, 1920. Serial No. 388,015.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TOKUSABURO IzoMr, a subject of the Emperor of Japan, residing at No. 18 Shichome, Umamichimachl, Asakusa Kn, Tokyo, Japan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Drying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a drying apparatus so constructed that the air heated by a heat radiator provided within the apparatus circulates between shelves on which articles to be dried are placed, and the escaping air gives its heat to the fresh incoming air. The object of this invention 18 to utilize heat efficiently and to efi'ect drying quickly and umformly, and to conduct away any fluid which may be produced in drying.

The accompanying drawing shows my apparatus in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section;

Fig. 2, a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3, another horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

My drying apparatus consists of two vertical concentric cylinders, having a hinged door. The annular space (3) between the outer cylinder (1) and the inner cylinder 2) serves as a passage (3) for the outgoing air. In this passage (3) are fitted several sets of air pipes, each set consisting of an air pipe (4), the upper end (5) of which opens into the atmosphere, and another air pipe (4) the lower end of which communicates with the air pipe (4) but at its upperend (6) opens into a chamber (7). At the center of the chamber (7), there is a mouth (23) which opens downward. Through this mouth (23) is fitted a vertical revolving shaft (24) to which are fixed a fan which blows the air axially downward, and a number of fans (9) which blow the air radially. Around the fans (9) are provided a heat radiator (10) consisting of steam or smoke tubes. This radiator (10) rests upon a cylindrical stand (27), which is perforated above the bottom (13) of the inner cylinder with a series of holes (25) and below the same with another series of holes (26). Within the cylindrical stand, the vertical shaft (24) is fitted with a fan (12). The chamber (28) below the bottom (13) has its bottom (17) slanting downward toward the wall, which has at its lowest part a hole (19), and through this hole the chamber (28) opens into apit (18) where fluid flow- 111g from the dry ng apparatus is received. This pit (18) is dlvided into two parts by a partition which does not however reach to the bottom. Above one part of the pit (18) there Is provided a chimney-like pipe (21) which has a valve (22) and the other part is covered with a lid (20). Above the chamber (7) through which supply of fresh air is drawn, there is provided another chamber (14) through which air escapes. This chainber (14) 18 connected through a number of pipes (29) w th the passage (3) lying between the cylinders (l) and (2) and is provlded with a fan (15) fixed to the vertical shaft (24), and also with a pipe (30) which conducts the air blown by the fan (15) outward to the upper part (16) of the pipe (21); The space between the internal cylinder (2) and the radiator (10) is occu ied by revolving shelves (11) on which articles to be dried are placed. These shelves (11) are not constructed as one unit but in segments, and are placed upon a ring shaped disk (31) which revolves over circular rails (32) provided on the bottom. Each segment of the shelves is provided at its bottom with wheels so that any segment, when desired, can be easily removed from the drier through the door (33). The disk (31) is driven from outside by means of a gear 60 which engages an annular rack 61 on the underside of the disk. The gear 60 is fixed to a shaft 62, which is provided with a pulley 63 that may be driven by any suitable means.

The air drawn from outside by the fan (8) passes from the mouth (5) through the air pipe (4) downward, then through the air pipe (4' upward, and enters the chamber (7 from the mouth (6). While the air is passing through the passage (3) downward and then upward through the air pipes (4) and (4') it receives heat from the hot air which ascends through the said passage (3) and thus heated to a certain degree it is blown downward by the fan (8) through thg, mouth (23) into the drying chamber. 111 the drying chamber, the air blown radially 101 .by the fans (9), passes over the radiator,

receiving heat therefrom, then over the articles to be dried, lying on the shelves, and deprives moisture therefrom, and is then drawn downward by the fan (12) through Ill the holes (25). It is then blown away by the same fan (12) into the chamber (28) through the pipe (21).

through the holes (26) and then ascendin through the passage (3) and plpes (29% into the chamber (14), it is driven out into the air through the pipes (30) and (16) by the fan (15).,

Thus, according to my invention, the circulation of heated air is excellent and dries articles uniformly, and as heat is efliciently used fuel can be economized to a great extent.

According to nature of goods to be dried, vapor arising therefrom condenses and collects on the walls and other parts, and the condensed fluid drops down in a large quantity. In this invention which is principally intended for drying silk cocoons and in which such fluid is produced, a means for removing it is provided. As will be seen from the construction of my apparatus as described above, fluid collected on the walls of the drying chamber and the passage (3), flows down the inclined bottoms (13) and (17) into the pit (18) through the hole (19), and that collected in the pipes (30). and (16) drops down into the pit To remove such fluid it is therefore only necessary to take away the cover (20) now and then and ladle off the fluid collected in the pit, at the same time closing the valve (22).

I claim 1. A drying apparatus consisting of a double walled cylinder, the annular space between the walls forming the passage for the out-going air to ascend; sets of air pipes for drawing supply of fresh air provided in the said passage, each set consisting of two pipes, one having its upper end opened into the atmosphere and descending to the bottom of the said passage, and the other communicating at the lower end with the former pipe and ascending the said passage but having its upper end opening into a chamber provided at an upper part of the apparatus; a means provided in the said chamber for blowing the air from its central part down into a drying chamber; a heat radiator provided at the central part of the said drying chamber; a means to cause the air blown down by the above mentioned means to flow radially so as topass over the radiator, and a means to draw the air from the bottom of the drying chamber and cause it to escape into the atmosphere through the above mentioned passage, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

2. In a drying apparatus, the combination of a vertically "positioned cylindrical drying chamber having around it a passage for the out-going air to ascend; air pipes, provided within the said passage for the out-going air to ascend, for supplying fresh air to central part above the said drying chamber; a heat radiator provided in the central part of the said drying chamber, arranged vertically and in a cylindrical form; revolving shelves provided around the said heat radiator; a means for drawing the air from the bottom of the said drying chamber and causing it to escape into the atmosphere through the aforesaid passage; a fluid pit provided outside the drying chamber and communicating with the same at its lowest part, and a lid to cover the said pit, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

3. In a drying apparatus, the combination of a vertically positioned cylindrical drying chamber having around it a passage for the out-going air to ascend; air pipes, provided within the said passage for the out-going air to ascend, for supplying fresh air to central part above the said drying chamber; a heat radiator provided in the central part of the said drying chamber, arranged vertically and in a cylindrical form; revolving shelves provided around the said radiator; passages from the bottom of the drying chamber to the lower end of the aforesaid passage for the out-going air; vertical exhaust pipes communicating with the upper part of the aforesaid passage for the out-going air; a fluid pit provided outside of the drying chamber and communicating therewith at the lowest part thereof a lid of the said pit; and a pipe communicating with the aforesaid pit and also with the aforesaid exhaust pipes, and a valve provided within the said pipe, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my signature.

TOKUSABURO IZUMI. 

